Great American Family, the flagship cable network for conservative media company Great American Media, is gearing up to release a slew of “thrilling whodunnits.”
The family-oriented network announced the upcoming launch of Great American Mysteries, which will serve as the home for its new original mystery movie franchises.
In its announcement on Tuesday, the network unveiled the title of its first-ever mystery film, “The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker,” which is an adaptation of best-selling author Candace Havens’ 2020 book of the same name.
The mystery flick will see actress Candace Cameron Bure star opposite Canadian actor Aaron Ashmore.
Ms. Bure was also involved behind the scenes. The film is a Syrup Studios production, made in association with Candy Rock Entertainment—a joint venture between Ms. Bure and Ford Englerth and Jeffery Brooks, the president and chief visionary officer of the Burbank, California-based production company Redrock Entertainment, respectively.
In a statement, Bill Abbott, the president and CEO of Great American Media, said the company was “thrilled to be in the business of telling fun, light-hearted stories featuring great characters, strong stories and a fun side of the mystery genre” that complements its licensed series strategy.
“Our cozy mysteries are crafted in the heritage of the classic storytelling that has evolved since Agatha Christie coined the term in the 1930s and set the stage for one of the most popular genres of entertainment,” he continued.
Ms. Bure echoed Mr. Abbott’s sentiment, noting that she was excited to be back in the “cozy mystery genre.”
“Mysteries are so fun to watch and to try to solve,” the actress and New York Times best-selling author added. “I hope our faithful fans and audiences fall in love with the townspeople of Sweet River, Texas and Ainsley McGregor’s keen eye for solving mysteries.”
Great American Mysteries
In her upcoming film, Ms. Bure—best known for portraying D.J. Tanner in the family sitcom “Full House”—will play the lead, Ainsley McGregor. The former Chicago criminologist returns to her hometown of Sweet River, Texas, to run an artisanal craft market called Bless Your Arts.However, when someone is murdered at her friend’s winery, she must harness her crime-solving skills to get her pal off the hook.
Ms. Bure is a stalwart of the mystery movie realm. She portrayed the eponymous protagonist in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries “Aurora Teagarden” movie series, taking on the role of the small-town librarian in 18 of the franchise’s films. Her earliest of these roles was in 2015’s “Aurora Teagarden Mystery: A Bone to Pick.”
Most recently, Ms. Bure starred alongside Niall Matter in “Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Haunted by Murder,” released in 2022.
In April 2022, the award-winning actress left the Hallmark Channel after being with the company for 14 years. She undertook the position of chief creative officer at Great American Media and has since appeared in a variety of original films for Great American Family, including “A Christmas…Present,” “Christmas on Candy Cane Lane,” and “My Christmas Hero.”
Great American Media
Mr. Abbott, the former president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, now known as Hallmark Media, founded Great American Media in 2021 along with private equity investor Tom Hicks.In addition to its flagship linear network, the company oversees a vast portfolio of other cable television networks and streaming services, including Great American Faith & Living, Great American Pure Flix, Great American Adventures, and Great American Faith & Home.
Earlier this month, Great American Media announced the release of its first original series, “County Rescue,” which stars Julia Reilly and Riley Hough. The faith and family action-drama series premiered on Great American Pure Flix on Feb. 23, followed by its debut on Great American Family on Feb. 26.
Since bringing Ms. Bure on board, Great American Media has tapped an array of other big-name celebrities to help push the brand forward. Most recently, the Texas-based company signed a multipicture, multiyear deal with actor and presenter Mario Lopez, host of “Access Hollywood.”
“Joining Great American Media is immensely fulfilling,” Mr. Lopez shared in a statement at the time. “I look forward to creating uplifting, inclusive, and diverse content, viewed through a positive lens for all ages.”
Other stars to work with the media giant include “Full House” and mystery movie veteran Lori Loughlin, as well as Jesse Metcalfe (known for “Desperate Housewives”), Jessica Lowndes (known for “90210”), and Jen Lilley (known for “Days of Our Lives”).
